Aretha Franklin, the legendary soul singer responsible for iconic tunes like “Respect,” died Thursday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She spent the past few days in hospice care at her Detroit home, where she was visited by the likes of Rev. Jesse Jackson, singer Stevie Wonder and Franklin’s ex-husband, actor Glynn Turman.

“In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins knew no bounds,” Franklin’s family said in a statement.

As news of her passing spread, many took to social media to pay tribute to the singular figure in American culture, with remembrances coming from presidents to lay people alike.

President Trump offered “condolences to the family of a person I knew well. She worked for me on numerous occasions. She was terrific,” he said at a cabinet meeting Thursday. “She’s brought joy to millions of lives and her extraordinary legacy will thrive and inspire many generations to come. She was given a great gift from God — her voice, and she used to well. People loved Aretha. She was a special woman.”

Former president Barack Obama tweeted a series of photos showing Franklin during pinnacle moments of his presidency, including at his 2009 inauguration.

“Aretha helped define the American experience,” he wrote. “In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade—our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect.”

Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade—our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. pic.twitter.com/bfASqKlLc5

The outpouring continued Thursday as figures such as Hillary Clinton, musician Carole King and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, simply tweeted about how much she meant to them.

“Mourning the loss today of @ArethaFranklin who shared her spirit and talent with the world. She deserves not only our RESPECT but also our lasting gratitude for opening our eyes, ears and hearts. Rest in eternal peace, my friend,” Clinton tweeted.

I’m absolutely devastated by Aretha’s passing. She was truly one of a kind. She was more than the Queen of Soul. She was a national treasure to be cherished by every generation throughout the world. (1/2)

The @AmericanIdol fam had the great privilege of working with the iconic Aretha Franklin for a special ep in Detroit. The world will miss her as she’s left an indelible mark on our culture. Her artistry & music will move & inspire us forever. Rest in peace to the Queen of Soul. pic.twitter.com/3LaOL6wvkn

There will never be another Queen of Soul. Aretha Franklin is the embodiment of a soul blessed with a special gift. Grateful we have decades of recordings that will live on. Long Live The Queen. #RIPAretha

We mourn the passing of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. Her voice will keep lifting us, through the music she gave the world. Our thoughts are with her family, her loved ones and fans everywhere. Take her hand, precious Lord, and lead her home. 🎶 pic.twitter.com/I84HTEVZU1

I once saw Aretha walk onstage, put her coat and purse on top of a piano - move the microphone stand aside and fill the arena with just the sound of her amazing unamplified voice. And a full orchestra. Greatest of all time. #Respect#QueenOfSoul

Today we so sadly lost a true legend , an icon , an inspiration Aretha Franklin broke ground and created a path the rest of us walked down. RIP Queen of Soul , and thank you for your voice ,your music and your spirit ❤️#QueenofSoulpic.twitter.com/At1uRJUdtL

A mix of profound sadness with immense joy on the passing of @arethasings the #queenofsoul Sadness for the silence of one of the most moving and influential voices of the 21st century. Joy for having been blessed to know her. pic.twitter.com/1idUqUMsCw

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame paid tribute with a note on its website: “The first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha Franklin was an artist of passion, sophistication and command, whose recordings remain anthems that defined soul music. Long live the Queen.”

The Recording Academy offered similar words: “Aretha Franklin was an incomparable artist who came to be recognized as one of the most profound voices in music . . . Her distinctive sound, unforgettable recordings, and giving spirit will continue to be celebrated worldwide. Aretha will be dearly missed, and our thoughts go out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”

Even the Merriam-Webster dictionary’s Twitter account honored the singer, by tweeting out the definition of the word “respect” along with a heart emoji.

Many praised her for breaking barriers as a woman of color climbing the ranks of the entertainment industry in the 1960s.

RIP Aretha Franklin, who did so many things we now take for granted in music. Before 1967, there were nearly no solo female rock stars, black women sang in girl groups, and gospel and popular music were totally separate. Aretha busted barriers all at once.

A tribute concert to the late singer was already in the works before her passing. The event, produced by Live Nation and spearheaded by Sony Music Chief Creative Officer Clive Davis, who signed Franklin to Arista Records in 1980, is reportedly titled “Clive Davis Presents: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin” and is scheduled to be at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Nov. 14.

Travis M. AndrewsTravis M. Andrews is a pop culture writer for The Washington Post. He joined The Post in 2016 as a reporter for Morning Mix. Previously, he was a travel and culture editor for Southern Living magazine and a pop culture and tech contributor for Mashable. Follow

Elahe IzadiElahe Izadi is a pop culture writer for The Washington Post. Prior to joining The Post in 2014 as a general assignment reporter, she covered Congress, race and local news. She has worked for National Journal, WAMU, TBD.com and The Gazette community newspapers. Follow